This past Saturday we moved into our "new" old home. It's a federalist style brick home built in 1925 - and we are the third owners. The inspection report was very thorough, but (of course) there are always a few surprises that you don't expect. The upstairs guest bath looks to be original to the house, and has the vintage pedestal sink and a huge, luxurious porcelain tub. There is no shower plumbing in the bathroom, something we'd hope to change eventually. Of more pressing concern, however, is the fact that I can't seem to figure out how to repair the "stopper" in the tub. There are three knobs in the bathtub. "Hot", "Cold" and "Open/Close."

Now, I've got to admit, I've never seen a tub like this before. However, the open/close knob I'm assuming would close the drain for the tub to fill. When you turn the knob, you do hear a clanking metal sound, but I'm unable to get the drain to actually close - no matter what position the knob is in. Unlike more modern drains which often have a screw in them, I can't figure out how to remove the domed drain cover. And even if I did - I'm not sure I'd know what to do if I was able to remove the drain. The drain is highly domed, making it virtually impossible to find a silicone stopper that will cover it.

Any advice or help for this plumbing conundrum would be greatly appreciated.